We salute IllInoIs’ farmers for
producIng safe, qualIty food
for thIs generatIon and the next!
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and soybeans, call or email us!

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ILLINOIS
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Edition

The special tablet edition is
designed especially for use on
iPads and other tablet devices.

2013

ILLINOIS
AGRICULTURE
Visit us online at

Dear Friend of Agriculture,

Farmers in Illinois have become veterans of unpredictability. It serves as a
source of their resilience, year-in and year-out. They plan and they adapt. And
they make use of the best research and technology available to ensure that
there will be a crop to harvest. Despite the challenges that farmers face, one
thing will remain constant: The Illinois Department of Agriculture will
continue to find ways to expand markets for Illinois’ agricultural products.
Agriculture and food are big business here, and we’d like to build on that
strong foundation. Illinois leads all states in food processing sales, with $180
billion in annual sales, which support more than 150,000 Illinois jobs.
Our agency will also continue to support Gov. Pat Quinn’s goal of doubling
Illinois exports. Nationally, Illinois is ranked fifth in food processing export
sales, with annual exports of $3.1 billion, and third in exports of agricultural
commodities, with sales of $8.2 billion.
On the local front, our agency sees the opportunity to improve our local
economy by partnering with supermarkets and producers to promote Illinois
products. If each family in Illinois spends $10 per week on Illinois products,
it is estimated the economic benefit to Illinois will be $2.4 billion annually.
Although agriculture remains a bright spot for Illinois’ economy, it is
important to recognize that farmers are small business people whose
sophistication and business acumen grows each year. Unpredictable weather
conditions and price fluctuations make it imperative that Congress pass a
farm bill that ensures farmers have the risk management tools they need to
succeed. Without the availability of these tools (crop insurance), many
farmers could have succumbed financially to the 2012 drought.
When farmers succeed, our economy succeeds. We all have a stake in
their success.
Many successes are highlighted in this second edition of Illinois Agriculture
magazine. I would like to thank the advertisers and sponsors for making this
possible. We are proud of this publication, and I know our agricultural leaders,
institutions, organizations and businesses join us in advocating on behalf of
Illinois’ vibrant, diverse and proud agricultural heritage.
Sincerely,

Robert F. Flider
Director
Illinois Department of Agriculture

facebook.com/IllinoisDepartmentofAgriculture
@ILAgMarkets

ILagriculture.com

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7

overview

Illinois
Agriculture
An overview of the state’s diverse
agriculture industry
Dive deep into Illinois ’
agriculture industry, and you’ll find
out that it is much more than crops
and commodities. The Prairie State
takes business seriously, whether it is
educating consumers about the hard
work of Illinois farm families and
where their food comes from, or
continuing its worldwide reign as a
leader in swine breeding and genetics.
The state boasts more than 74,600
farms that average 357 acres each.
These farms work to produce some
of Illinois’ top agricultural products,
such as corn, soybeans, pork, wheat
and cattle. The state’s fertile soil
gives farmers room to grow a variety
of other crops too, including oats,
sorghum, fruits and vegetables, and
specialty crops like buckwheat,
ginseng, popcorn and mushrooms.
Approximately 1,500 different types
of soil can be found in the state,
making it so fruitful that almost 90
percent of Illinois agricultural land
can be used to raise crops.
Illinois leads the pack in agribusiness
as well, and the state is a front-runner
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illinois agriculture

in industries such as soybean
processing, meat packing, dairy
manufacturing, service industries
and foreign exports, which play
a significant role in the Illinois
economy. In 2011, soybean exports
had a value of $2.51 million, which
represented 30.4 percent of all
agricultural exports. Corn followed
suit with 28 percent of total exports,
and grain products rang in at 7.4
percent of total exports.
Consumers are becoming more
involved than ever in the state’s
agriculture industry, with readily
available agritourism destinations,
community gardening and an evergrowing interest in buying local.
This interest is backed by the state’s
legislation, which encourages
consumers to purchase Illinoisproduced food and products through
the Buy Illinois Challenge program.
Despite setbacks from weather
challenges, including the drought
of 2012, Illinois’ farmers and
agricultural leaders continue to
push forward, growing in their
diverse and important industry.

About 1.5 million
Illinois workers are
employed in the food
and fiber system,
making it one of
the top states
in dependency
on agriculture.

Fiber
Fuel
Fun
“The agricultural, food and renewable
natural resources sectors of the U.S.
economy will generate an estimated
54,400 annual openings for individuals
with baccalaureate or higher degrees
between 2010 and 2015.”

ConnECt!
www.illinoisffa.org

ConnECt!
www.illinoispas.org

Illinois FFA makes a positive
difference in the lives
of students by developing their
potential for premier leadership,
personal growth and career
success through
agricultural education.

Printed with funds from the Agricultural, Food
and Natural Resources (AFNR) STEM Learning
Exchange, which is a part of the Illinois Pathways,
a new and innovative State of Illinois led STEM
education initiative designed to support college
and career readiness for all students. The AFNR
STEM Learning Exchange is funded through USDE
Race to the Top in the amount of $430,000.

Top Agriculture Products
Illinois’ top commodities, based on cash receipts
corn
Illinois’ top crop is used mainly for
ethanol production, animal feed and
agricultural exports. In 2011, the state
produced 1.95 billion bushels of the
crop, with a value of $12.3 billion. Corn
accounted for 54.5 percent of total
farm cash receipts in 2011.

soybeans

dairy products
Illinois is home to more than 780 dairy
farms. On average, a dairy cow will
produce six gallons of milk per day,
totaling 2,190 gallons per year. That
milk from Illinois’ dairies is processed
into fluid milk, cheese, ice cream, butter
and many other dairy-based products.

Soybeans are the No. 2 crop for the
Prairie State and its No. 1 agricultural
export. Farmers produced 416 million
bushels of soybeans in 2011, and the
crop accounted for 30.4 percent of total
agricultural exports. Illinois soybeans
are used in everything from animal
feed to printer ink.

hay

pork

Fruits and vegetables

The No. 3 commodity for the state,
Illinois pork production ranks fourth
nationally. In 2011, the state’s swine
farmers marketed 11.58 million hogs,
and the commodity represented 7.2
percent of total farm cash receipts.
Illinois’ pork industry is the top
customer for Illinois soybeans.

wheat
In 2011, Washington County produced
the most of the state’s No. 4 commodity,
bringing in a total of 4 million bushels.
The state produces soft red winter
wheat, which is used in products such
as breads, cereals, crackers, allpurpose flour, pet foods and glues.

In 2011, Illinois produced 1.58 million
tons of all hay, including alfalfa. The
value of production totaled $ 219.4
million, significantly contributing to
the state’s economy. Most of the
state’s hay is used as livestock feed.

Illinois’ fertile soil allows its farmers
to produce a number of fruits and
vegetables, with the top crops being
apples, peaches, sweet corn, snap
beans and pumpkins. In fact, Illinois
is one of the leading states in the U.S.
for pumpkin production, which brought
$21.9 million to the state in 2011.

oats
Illinois farmers typically plant their
oat crop in March and harvest in late
summer or early fall. For many years,
oats were used as a rotation crop, but
farmers have started utilizing corn and
soybeans more for this purpose.

cattle
Hilly areas in the northwestern and
southern regions of Illinois that aren’t
as suitable for growing crops provide
great pasture for cattle. Beef cattle,
the state’s No. 5 commodity, can be
found on 23 percent of Illinois’ farms.
The beef industry brought over $ 523
million to the state economy in 2011.

sheep
Illinois had 57,000 head of sheep on
hand at the end of 2011. That same year,
the state produced 305,000 pounds of
wool, with a total production value
of $140,000.

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11

&

High Dry
Drought of 2012 touches all
agricultural sectors
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illinois agriculture

Courtesy of ILlinois Farm Bureau

For all the tension it

The 2012 drought, which was most severe in the southern part of the state, greatly affected the corn industry.

created and the damage it caused,
the drought of 2012 was one that
Illinois farmers and others in
agriculture would like to forget.
But for the lessons it taught
and the guidance it gave for the
future, the 2012 drought will be
forever remembered.
“It was probably one of the worst
droughts we experienced in the past
50 years-plus,” says Jim Kaitschuk,
director of the Illinois Pork Producers
Association, an agricultural trade
group that represents pork producers
throughout Illinois.
The drought, most severe in the
southern part of the state, had an
effect on all sectors of agriculture.
Livestock production was reduced,
as were yields from row crops
including corn, soybeans and others.
Transportation issues reached
a critical level late in the year
when water levels dropped on the
Mississippi River and irrigation by
farmers significantly increased.
In short, the drought had
a tremendous impact on the
agricultural economy.

How the Drought Affected Agriculture

Swine

Beef Cattle

Hay

Corn

ExportS

Pork production for
2013 is projected to
be around 22.9 million
pounds, which is well
below what it was in
2012 and 2011. Heat
stress and high feed
prices caused many
producers to sell some
of their animals to
ease financial burdens.
This led to smaller
swine herds and
higher pork prices
for consumers.

Moderate or greater
drought affected
78 percent of cattle
production. Beef
producers were
indirectly impacted
by the drought as a
result of increased
livestock feed costs,
primarily grain and
hay prices, which
forced farmers to
accept lower prices
for their animals
from the feed lot.

The drought created
tough growing
conditions for hay.
Approximately 63
percent of land used
for hay production
was affected by the
drought and resulted
in poor yields. This
caused much higher
prices for farmers,
who had to pay up
to three times the
normal price just to
feed their livestock.

Corn prices increased
exponentially due to
lowered production.
Illinois corn yields
were around 105
bushels per acre in
2012, a significant
drop from the 2011
yields of 157 bushels
per acre. Farmers in
central and southern
Illinois suffered the
biggest losses, with
some not being able
to harvest at all.

The water levels on
the Mississippi and
Ohio rivers became
too low for barge
operators to carry
heavy loads. Now,
fewer barges can
travel the river at
once to successfully
navigate the
shallower waters.
These limitations have
caused increased
river freight rates for
shipping commodities.

Source: Governor’s Task Force Report on the Drought of 2012

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13

Courtesy of IlLinois Farm Bureau

Illinois’ corn crop suffered because of the drought of 2012, with prices increasing exponentially due to lowered production.

Livestock and
Crops Affected

“We saw extremely high feed
prices as a result,” Kaitschuk says.
“In terms of input cost on the feed
side, (the drought) obviously had a
tremendous impact on viability for
operations across the state.”
Cattle and dairy farmers had to
buy more hay than usual for feeding
due to pastures drying up early in
the season, and some farmers
experienced a shortage of well
water. As a result, some farmers
were forced to sell off a portion
of their herds.
“What it really did was cause
producers to be extremely innovative
in terms of what they could create
for feed,” Kaitschuk says.
To help producers with sales,
Gov. Pat Quinn developed a pork

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illinois agriculture

purchasing program that increased
state purchases of pork produced in
Illinois by 30 percent.
The quantity and quality of row
crops were also affected by the
drought. The Governor’s Task Force
report on the drought showed that
statewide 2012 yields were 105
bushels per acre for corn and 43
for soybeans, compared to 2011
yields of 157 bushels for corn
and 47.5 for soybeans.
The 2012 corn crop has an
increase of aflatoxin, a mycotoxin
produced by a fungus that can
colonize on the corn kernels,
causing ear rot. Aflatoxin is a
known carcinogen. The issue
prompted the IDOA to request
a waiver to blend aflatoxin
contaminated corn from the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration.

Limited Movement

Transportation was jeopardized
in the fall of 2012 when levels on
the Mississippi River dropped
significantly, especially in November,
when grain products were being
shipped downriver and fertilizer was
coming upriver. Of particular concern
were rock pinnacles in the river at
the Thebes and Grand Tower area,
according to Kevin Schoeben, deputy
director of the Office of Planning
and Programming for the Illinois
Department of Transportation.
He credits Gov. Quinn and Sen.
Dick Durbin for working diligently
to ask the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers to remove the rocks so
barges could maneuver through
that area of the Mississippi.
“The Corps of Engineers had
plans to remove pinnacles in late

Courtesy of ILlinois Farm Bureau

January to early February (of 2013),
meaning the river would have shut
down on Dec. 21,” Schoeben says.
“Those projections were unacceptable,
so Sen. Durbin and Gov. Quinn
encouraged the Corps to get the
pinnacles removed in December.”
Those in agriculture are looking
at experiences from the 2012
drought to make sure they’re
prepared for the next one. The
governor’s task force report makes
several recommendations.
“Farmers may want to seek out
disaster assistance programs before
the next drought,” says Steve Chard
of the IDOA’s Bureau of Land and
Water Resources, who was a member
of the task force. “It’s always good to
be armed with information before
that kind of event.
“And livestock producers may
want to think about deepening their
existing wells, or digging a new well,
to have a sufficient water supply
prior to the next drought.”
– John McBryde

The 2012 corn crop had an increase of aflatoxin, a damaging spore that occurs in dry conditions.

n the throes of a crippling
drought, the responsibilities
of the Illinois Department of
Agriculture’s Bureau of Agricultural
Products Inspection proved more
important than ever.
“We make sure the consumer is
getting what they pay for, whether
it’s fertilizer for their garden or food
for pets or livestock. Our main focus
is to protect the consumer, whether
it is on the farm or in town,” says
Jerry Kirbach, bureau chief.
Every year the bureau conducts a
statewide survey during the corn
harvest to check for the presence of
aflatoxin and fumonisin. In 2012,
the survey revealed a widespread

presence of aflatoxin at elevated
levels due the drought.
Since aflatoxin is a known
carcinogen, the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) has
established guidelines that restrict
the level of any aflatoxin
contaminated feed ingredient that
can be fed to an animal based upon
the specie as well as the maturity
stage. These levels are measured in
parts per billion.
The most restrictive level is
for dairy production to protect
all products used for human
consumption. The milk plants test
all incoming product for any

presence of aflatoxin and if found
the milk will be rejected.
The bureau applied to FDA for a
waiver to allow grain facilities to
blend aflatoxin contaminated corn.
The application was approved in
December and required any grain
facility handling this corn to certify
they would meet all FDA guidelines
for grain shipped.
“This allowed utilization of the
affected corn while offering
additional assurance to the
livestock producer of the feed
products being purchased,”
Kirbach says.
– Rachel Bertone

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15

animals & Livestock

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illinois agriculture

The Finest
Swine
Illinois’ pork industry leads the
country in breeding and genetics
Photography by Frank Ordonez

For more than 3,400 producers
raising more than 4 million pigs and
contributing to an industry that generates
nearly $2 billion each year in economic
impact, the success of Illinois’ pork business
largely comes down to the real estate.
“It’s all about location,” says Mike
Grohmann, who runs Cedar Ridge Swine
Seedstock in Red Bud with his five brothers.
“Illinois is centrally located in the Corn
Belt for access to corn and soybeans for feed,
in close proximity to the Midwest’s packing
industry so we save time and resources
getting animals to the processing plant, right
on the Mississippi River, and have a livestock
terminal for international export at
Chicago’s O’Hare airport,” Grohmann
says. “Our location helps every part
of this business.”
High on the Hog

It’s a business that ranks Illinois fourth in
the U.S. in pork production and makes the
state a leader in swine breeding and genetics.

The state’s central location and proximity to
feed and packing sources, as well as domestic
and international export avenues allows the
industry to thrive. But Illinois farmers aren’t
only concerned with the number of their
livestock, but the quality of their pigs as well.
“It’s about improving the animals,”
Grohmann says. “For us, that means
improving the number of pigs, their
structural soundness, lean muscle content,
growth rate, longevity, feed efficiency and
pork quality. And we do that through genetics.”
Established in 1954, Cedar Ridge is one of
the largest family-owned, purebred breeding
stock operations in the country. It is currently
run by Mike and his brothers Freddie, Randy,
Stan, Dennis and Bob, and breeds Landrace,
Hampshire, Yorkshire and Duroc hogs for sale
and export across the U.S. and internationally.
“In this business, we rely on one another
within the industry,” Grohmann says. “Our
role is to improve the genetics of these
animals so that we are selling a better
product to producers.”

Cedar Ridge in Red Bud, one of the largest familyowned purebred swine breeding stock operations in
the nation, breeds Landrace, Hampshire, Yorkshire
and Duroc hogs for sale across the nation and
internationally. The farm has approximately 2,000
breeding sows and 100 herd boars.

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illinois agriculture

New technology and research are
key to improving the quality of
Illinois swine stock. In 2001, Prairie
State Semen in Champaign, who
supplies fresh and frozen semen and
vaccines to producers across the U.S.
and to 15 countries, was the first
company to successfully clone herd
boars from adult founders using
somatic cell nuclear transfer. “Our
purebred boar lines have laid the
foundation in a large number of
different breeds and have greatly
influenced the breeding stock in
operations throughout Illinois and
across the country,” says Jon Fisher,
president of Prairie State Semen.
Because of its prime location,
Illinois has always been a leader in
supplying producers with parent and
grandparent stock, Fisher says.
“Illinois has always had a large
demand for their genetics because of
their ability to perform and make the
new livestock owners successful in
their operation,” Fisher says. “Many
of the greatest purebred herds have
been carefully selected for and

maintained utilizing the keen eye
and talent of various breeders.”

Pigs of the Future

At the University of Illinois,
researchers are constantly looking
for improvements and advancements
in farming genetics. Dr. Anna Dilger,
assistant professor in meat science
and muscle biology, and Dr. Jon
Beever, professor in genetics,
genomics and bioinformatics, are
working on a project examining the
genetic modification of myostatin to
enhance feed efficiency and lean
carcass yield in pigs. Dr. Rob Knox,
associate professor in reproductive
biology, is working on improving the
fertility and efficiency from the use
of cryopreserved boar sperm from
genetically superior sires.
For all of the advancements in
feed, frozen semen and cloning
technologies, there are always more
doors to be opened, Fisher says.
“There will always be something
new, something more we can do to
improve this business.”
– Blair Thomas

Illinois Pork Tour

International Appeal

Illinois swine goes global with the annual pork tour

C

onnecting producers and consumers from
Illinois, across the U.S. and internationally
can be as simple as getting them all in the
same place at the same time. Once a year, the Illinois
Department of Agriculture sponsors the Illinois Pork
Tour, an opportunity for producers across the state to
connect with pork industry executives, buyers and
others in the international industry.
“Pork production and livestock production in
general can be very confining,” says Bobby Dowson
of the Illinois Department of Agriculture. “A lot of
producers stay on their farms and take care of daily
business many more hours than an eight-to-five job.
The World Pork Expo is a place where domestic and
international producers make time to see the latest in
technologies to better their operations back home.”
Held in conjunction with the annual World Pork
Expo each year, the Illinois Pork Tour brings in
potential buyers from around the world and showcases
the Illinois swine industry – ranked fourth nationally –
and its products, including breeding pigs, semen,
feed ingredients, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals,
equipment and other services such as hedging and
trading commodities.
“It is very time and cost effective,” Dowson says.
“The Illinois Pork Tour is important to Illinois swine
operations and agribusinesses because we bring the
buyers to them. We have averaged nearly $750,000 in
sales from each annual tour in the last 20 years.”

A SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

The Illinois Pork Tour also provides producers
the opportunity to share ideas and learn from one
another. “Some small improvement or different way
of doing something can improve a swine operation
immensely,” Dowson says.
Prairie State Semen has participated in the tour
for nearly two decades , and has benefited from the
connections and from the exchange of knowledge with
visitors to its Champaign breeding and genetics facility.
“We have provided basic knowledge of purebred
genetics, modern laboratory practices and cloning
over the past 18 years,” says Jon Fisher, president of
Prairie State Semen.

SWINE SUCCESS

Maintaining positive relationships with trading
partners is critical for the future of the pork industry,

Dowson says. “Over the past several years, various
questions have been raised about modern agriculture
and current production practices. The pork industry
believes that it can strongly benefit by demonstrating
how they care for their animals, operate their farms
and positively impact their local communities.”
The pork tours have helped several farms and
agribusinesses, both large and small, export products
internationally. Prairie State Semen has seen an
increase in sales to Mexico from participants on the
tour, and has exported about $12,000 in semen to one
distributor in Central Mexico in the past two years
for artificial insemination, Dowson says.
“Opening our doors helps the Illinois Department
of Agriculture put on a good tour, which helps everyone
involved in the long-run,” Fisher says. “We had a
$7,500 frozen semen order from last year’s tour, which
made me even more grateful for that opportunity.”
– Blair Thomas

During the 2012
drought, there
was a 20 to 30
percent increase
in cattle values.

Over the past
five years, inventory
of cattle and calves
has ranged from
150,000 to
215,000 head.

For Monte Lowderman of

Lowderman Cattle Company in
Macomb, the importance of family
keeps the business alive and running.
“If it weren’t for our cattle business,
we would probably be spread across
the country,” says Lowderman, one
of three brothers that runs the
company with their parents. The
tragic loss of a younger brother
brought the family closer together,
which led to them significantly
growing their business.
The operation raises Hereford
cattle and has been praised as Breeder
of the Year for the past two years. The
Illinois Beef Association recently
named it the Seedstock Producer of
the Year. The family is also very active
in the auction business. “Our love is
definitely in the cattle industry,”
Lowderman says.
Although the family faced
challenges during the drought of
2012, Brent Lowderman, the brother
in charge of the hay and pasture side

of the company, says they are
recovering nicely.
The company grows their own
forage, but by June and mid-July of
2012, their source was cut in half
from the previous year. They sourced
lots of hay from out of state, and Brent
visited neighboring farms to buy
cornfields for feed. They did have
to use more fertilizer than usual
for this year’s hay crop, to help
boost nutritional value.
While failing crops stole the
headlines in 2012, farmers raising
cattle felt just as much pain.
The historic Midwestern drought
dried cattle pastures and diminished
hay supplies while escalating prices
of feedstuffs, such as corn and
soybean meal.
“The beef industry wasn’t only
impacted by the shortage of feed – a
large part of it was a shortage of water,”
says Lyle Flach with the Illinois
Department of Agriculture (IDOA).
Flach regularly attends livestock

Brent Lowderman oversees the hay and pasture side of his family’s farm, Lowderman Cattle Company.

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illinois agriculture

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21

auctions and provides reports for the
department and USDA and IDOA
Market News Service. During the
2012 drought, he witnessed a 20 to
30 percent increase in cattle values
and an influx of cows at market. High
feed costs and drought-induced hay
shortages continued to liquidate
herds into spring 2013. But at the same
time, feed costs discouraged expansion
and softened prices, he says.
Historically speaking, Illinois’
cattle inventory is low and rebuilding.
The National Agricultural Statistics
Service reports the inventory of
cattle and calves over the last five
years ranged from 150,000 to
215,000 head in Illinois. This echoes
numbers last seen in the late 1920s.

The story proves similar nationwide,
where the inventory as of Jan. 1,
2013, was the lowest since 1950.
The industry expresses optimism
looking forward with hopes that crop
and forage production will return to
normal. In fact, a resurfacing trend
may add finished cattle to Illinois’
fame as a cow-calf state. Most cattle
farmers own a cow herd and sell
weaned calves to feedlots. That trend
started more than 20 years ago, when
a model encouraged shipping calves
and feed resources out west to a drier
climate, says Reid Blossom of the
Illinois Beef Association. Today, he
sees a shift. More cattlemen in Illinois
and throughout the Midwest feed
calves to market weight. They use

locally grown grains and ethanol
co-products to do it.
“Where they’re manufacturing
ethanol fuel, we can get an extended
use out of that corn product in the
form of dry or wet distiller’s grains,”
Blossom says.
Flach estimates one-third to onehalf of cattle feed is in the form of
ethanol co-products. Many cattlemen
live within an hour of an ethanol
plant, making this lower-cost feed
readily available.
Illinois’ ingredients of widespread
corn production, land suitable for
pastures and educated cattlemen
form the recipe for a successful beef
industry, Blossom says. Farmers also
have access to a variety of markets,
including weekly livestock auctions,

There is some growth occurring
within the beef industry in
Illinois, and it’s happening
in the form of cattle feeding
coming back to the Midwest.

– Reid Blossom

Lowderman Cattle Company breeds Herefords on their farm in Macomb. They’ve been honored on the state level for their breeding and seedstock production.

22

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illinois agriculture

online cattle sales and proximity
to several processing facilities in
the state.
“I think a big challenge for us is to
recoup a lot of those animals we’ve
lost over the drought the last couple
years,” Blossom says. “While Illinois
is no doubt home to the best farmland
in the country without irrigation, we
also have a lot of land with a marginal
soil type and not conducive to row
crops. Cattle are a perfect fit for
those acres.”
– Joanie Stiers

Left: Dairy cows graze on a pasture in Greenville. Above: The milking parlor at Lindale Farms in Hampshire can milk eight cows at once.

Photography by Frank Ordonez

M arvin Meyer of Liberty,

Ill. comes from a long line of dairy
farmers. But as he watched the
number of dairy farms decline over
several decades due to increasing
costs and tougher regulations, he
knew something had to give.
“My family milked until 1998. We
were milking about 400 cows at that
time,” Meyer says. “But it came to a
point where we had to decide to get
bigger or get out. So we sold our dairy
herd and changed avenues.”
Today, Meyer makes a living
exporting short bred and springer
heifers (cows that are close to giving
birth) to other countries, including
Mexico, Russia and Turkey. He and
his sons Ryan and Ty manage a herd
that fluctuates between 500 and
1,000 heifers at a time.
“Last summer, we sent an order
for 1,300 head to Russia by boat,”
Meyer says. “Farmers in other
countries don’t have as many cattle
as we have in the United States,
and they buy from us partly because
of genetics. Also, as other countries
are progressing and seeing their
economies improve, people are
developing a taste for cheese.”
Meyer’s clients buy his cows,
milk them, and then produce
cheese and yogurt.
“Some of the dairies in Mexico are
unbelievable,” he says. “One farmer
in Aguascaliente is milking 1,800 cows.”
In 2000, Illinois had 1,531 dairy
farms with roughly 120,000 cows

combined. That number decreased to
782 dairy farms in 2012 with around
98,000 cows across the state. The
average Illinois herd size is 125 cows –
double the average-size herd 20
years ago.
“A lot of guys quit because high
feed costs can eat up all your profit,”
Meyer says. “I’m one of the lucky
ones who have found a way to keep
making a living raising cattle.”
Many Illinois dairy farmers have
found success by being part of a
cooperative, such as Prairie Farms
Dairy based in Carlinville. Prairie
Farms began as a small creamery in
1938 and has evolved into a farmerowned cooperative that processes
milk from 765 farms in the Midwest.
It has 37 manufacturing plants and
111 distribution points throughout 15
states, and its products include milk,
ice cream, cottage cheese, yogurt,
sour cream, dips, butter, cream and
frozen treats.
“This year, Prairie Farms will
celebrate 75 years of bringing quality
dairy products to its many customers,”
says Kasper Koch, a board member
of Prairie Farms Dairy and vice
president of the Illinois Milk
Producers Association. “Prairie
Farms’ success and growth are the
result of hard work, dedication and
support from our farm families
and employees.”
Koch says one of the challenges
the industry faces today is a declining
consumption of milk among

consumers, “even though milk is one
of the most nutritious and healthy
foods one can consume.”
Nevertheless, Prairie Farms has
found a way to survive – and even
thrive. At the 2009 Illinois State
Fair, Prairie Farms’ products won 43
blue ribbons. Prairie Farms’ peach
yogurt received a perfect score and
Grand Champion Honors.
“From the dairy farms of its owners
to the plants that process our products
to the stores,” Koch says, “every detail
in quality and freshness is taken so
we can deliver the best and most
nutritious dairy products possible.”
– Jessica Mozo

The average Illinois
herd size is 125
cows – double the
average-size herd
20 years ago.

Illinois is not satisfied with being just another farm.
The diverse, family-run, full-service farming
operation grows Illinois’ top crops, corn and
soybeans, in 10 Illinois counties, incorporating
some of the latest technology into its practices.
It also offers custom farming solutions to
landowners in the area while committing to
sustainable agronomy practices and respectful
land stewardship.
Michelle Stewart and her husband, John, own
the operation, located in Sheridan. The company
began as a manure-spreading business, and as it
grew, Stewart says the couple found they were
able to use the same equipment and staff to begin
farming on a small scale. The business took off
from there.
“Vertical integration has enabled us to branch
out into many geographical areas surrounding
our home base,” Stewart says. “Currently, we’re
focusing on providing progressive solutions to
the needs of landowners, stewardship of the
environment, and using our circle of influence to
educate people about modern agriculture and
how food is produced while also being a light to
surrounding areas, especially the children in
the community.”
The farm’s use of vertical integration, which
Michelle Stewart, left, runs Spirit Farms with her husband, John. They
grow row crops and also help other farmers manage their operations.

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The Stewart family, left, implements sustainable practices and respectful stewardship of the land for generations to come. New technology, such as precision planting
and GPS mapping, has increased efficiency on their farm and others that they work with through their business of providing custom farming solutions.

means it is self-sufficient as a business,
is ideal for reducing operating costs.
This type of strategy, plus the use of
modern technology, is helping Spirit
Farms make more economical and
environmentally friendly decisions
for its row crops.
“We use precision planting
technology on our farm that is
available in the John Deere fleet we
use,” Stewart says. The tractors are
also equipped with GPS mapping and
smart devices, which not only allow
the farm to be extremely efficient,
but also to respond quickly to
changing weather conditions.
The farm is completing a new
grain storage facility that will hold
two million bushels. The facility
will be outfitted with the latest
measurement and grain quality
features, resulting in very accurate
reporting and quality crops in every
stage from field to market.
Along with these impressive

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technological advances on the farm,
Stewart praises the highly motivated
staff for true innovation.
“We have created an in-house
program to track grain inventories
and logistics in real time for improved
immediate accountability,” she says.
“We are working on time-tracking
systems to more effectively analyze
costs right now.”
As for the high-tech equipment
Spirit Farms uses, Stewart says their
fleet is mainly John Deere, but they
are open to using whatever makes
sense to ensure the highest crop
quality along with the care and
health of the land, their top priority.
She explains that their next
technological advance will be
improving data analysis for the vast
amount of information they use in
decision-making, tying that to the
farm’s financial performance.
In 2012, Spirit Farms was chosen
as a stop on the Illinois Department

of Agriculture’s grain tour, which
invites international grain leaders to
participate in an educational and
informative buyer’s tour of Illinois’
grain industry. Stewart says the
experience was an eye-opener.
“Grain buyers from around the
globe walked around the farm and
asked many questions. It was a
perspective shift for us on the farm
because we started thinking about
who our ‘customer’ really is,” she says.
No doubt their willingness to
embrace the latest technological
advances, which allow them to
produce more with less, landed the
Stewarts their spot on the tour. And
they found it beneficial for their
own operation as well.
“We are competing with growers
from around the world,” Stewart
says. “We need to work as a team
with our neighbors to make our
geographical area attractive to the
global marketplace.”
– Rachel Bertone

crops & plants

Where Do Illinois Corn
and Soybeans Go?
Learn the many uses of these important crops

Soybeans

corn
Ethanol

Meal

processing

Oil

Exports

Exports

Illinois boasts 14 ethanol plants in the state, and produces more
ethanol than any other state. Ethanol is an alcohol made from
renewable resources, like corn. Ethanol-blended fuel reduces
carbon monoxide and volatile organic compound emissions and
is added to gasoline to reduce oil imports, increase performance
and reduce overall costs of transportation fuels. The Prairie State
produces 1.6 billion gallons of ethanol annually, from 560 million
bushels of corn.

Illinois corn that goes for processing is changed into different
usable products through a series of events. Corn is soaked
and ground so that the germ oil, starch, gluten and hulls can
be separated. These items are then made into products like
cornstarch, cooking oil, sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup,
cereal and fuel. Some of Illinois’ crop is used for animal and
livestock feed.

Illinois exports a good amount of its corn. In 2011 corn accounted
for 28 percent of total agricultural exports for the state.

Illinois soybeans are dehulled and separated into meal and oil after
harvest. Soybean meal is used to feed animals, and is very high in
nutrients and protein. In Illinois, animal agriculture – mostly pigs
– is the No. 1 customer for soybean growers, and accounts for 94
percent of the state’s total soybean use. The meal is also used in the
aquaculture industry to feed fish.

Soybean oil from Illinois is used in everything from food to printing ink
to fuel. It is most widely used in vegetable oil in the U.S., representing
65 percent of all edible fat and oil consumed by people. Soybean
oil is also used to make biodiesel, used by many companies and
school districts in the state. The fuel has confirmed performance
and environmental benefits, including better fuel efficiency and
prolonged engine life.

Soybeans are the top agricultural export for Illinois. Fifty-three percent
of Illinois’ soybeans are exported, with a value estimated at $3.1 billion.

think of corn and soybeans as
Illinois’ most recognizable crops.
And understandably so – the two
crops, along with wheat, account
for more than 90 percent of the
state’s cultivated acres.
Yet Illinois farmers also dominate
the nation’s pumpkin and horseradish
industries, growing more of these
crops than any other state. Illinois
ranks among the top 10 states in the
production of peaches, asparagus,
cauliflower, green peas and lima
beans, according to the Illinois
Department of Agriculture (IDOA).
Farmers devote more than 101,000
acres of Illinois farmland to specialty
crops, which in 2010 produced nearly
$392 million in annual sales for
Illinois farmers.
“The way we look at making
decisions on choosing crops we
produce has a lot to do with
marketing,” says Chris Eckert,

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president of Eckert’s, the nation’s
largest pick-your-own farm, with
locations in Belleville, Grafton and
Millstadt, Ill. “Our goal is to be
harvesting something at Eckert’s
from the first of May to the end
of December.”
The harvest season for this
southwestern Illinois farm starts
with strawberries and progresses
with blueberries, blackberries,
tomatoes, bell peppers and garlic.
The season continues with peaches,
apples and pumpkins. Then, it’s
time for Christmas trees. Eckert’s
attracts about 750,000 people
annually to its retail farm locations
within 20 to 50 minutes of St. Louis.
It also sells peaches wholesale to
urban markets.
The family’s farming legacy dates
back to 1837. Today, the sixth and
seventh generations run the business
and the family represents some of
Illinois’ most determined farmers.

Eckert’s Country Store and Farms, based in Belleville with locations in Grafton and Millstadt, grows pick-your-own peaches, apples and many other fruits. Eckert’s and
other apple growers helped to develop a new regional apple variety through the Midwest Apple Improvement Association, which is funded by a specialty crop grant.

Some specialty crops prove a good fit
for the state’s weather and certain
soil types, while others require greater
care to prevent diseases and crop
failures that are less problematic in big
produce states like California. In fact,
Eckert’s, the largest peach grower in
Illinois, finds peaches a little risky for
the state’s climate, as a winter freeze
injury can ruin the crop.
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Specialty Crop Grants help increase
the success and competitiveness of
Illinois fruits, vegetables and other
crops. IDOA administers the federal
program, and in 2013 the department
will distribute about $630,000 to
12 projects focused on research,
promotion and market development,
says Delayne Reeves, who manages
the grant program for IDOA.
Among past projects, the Midwest
Apple Improvement Association
developed a promising apple variety:
EverCrisp. The apple, a cross between

a Fuji and Honeycrisp, was bred
for Midwestern climates to give its
farmers a competitive edge. Eckert’s
has a hand in the effort and says
EverCrisp should be widely available
in a few years.
Likewise, Keller Farms works with
the Horseradish Growers of Illinois
to develop new horseradish varieties,
a project funded in part by a specialty
crop grant. This year, the farm will
work with Illinois universities for the
project, says Lindsey Keller, the farm’s
fifth generation.
Established in 1887, Keller Farms
grows corn, soybeans, wheat and
specialty crops, including horseradish
and sweet corn near Collinsville, the
Horseradish Capital of the World.
More than two-thirds of the nation’s
supply of horseradish originates on
1,844 acres in southwestern Illinois,
according to the Census of Agriculture.
The herb root grows well in this
Mississippi River basin area, which

is rich in potash, a nutrient that
horseradish loves.
Helping contribute to the economy
and creation of jobs, the farms hires
about 90 seasonal employees, but labor
and weather still present themselves
as the farm’s biggest challenges.
The family plants horseradish
in the spring and harvests from
September through May. They sell
to a supplier that distributes the
product throughout the United
States. Some is also exported to
South Africa for medicinal use.
– Joanie Stiers

What’s Online
Read other grant success stories at
ILagriculture.com.

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Illinois Food & Wine

Purpose-Driven

Purchases

Residents and retailers encouraged
to buy, sell local

The Buy Illinois Challenge encourages consumers to spend $10 per week on Illinois food products, which are designated by logos so theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re easy for shoppers to find.

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Photography by Frank Ordonez

A small shift in buying
habits means billions for Illinois. In
fact, the state economy would generate
more than an additional $2.4 billion
annually if every Illinois household
dedicated just $10 of its weekly grocery
budget to the purchase of Illinois
products, according to the Illinois
Department of Agriculture (IDOA).
To clarify, this is not new money –
just shifting a $10 bill in a household’s
existing budget.
“We’re trying to make that number
resonate with consumers and how
important it is to buy Illinois,” says
Jennifer Tirey, bureau chief of
marketing and promotions for the
Illinois Department of Agriculture.
Grocers have told her: If the product
is local, consumers will buy it. And if
consumers realize the power of their
dollars, they become more inclined
to look for it. So the department’s
newest marketing effort works
three-fold: encourage food makers to
brand their products as Illinois, give
retailers the means to market Illinois
and prompt consumers to buy Illinois.
That’s the basis for the Buy Illinois
Challenge, a statewide effort to
educate and stimulate marketing
and buying habits for the sake of
more in-state commerce.

The Buy Illinois Challenge
encompasses two of the state’s logo
programs: Illinois Product and Where
Fresh Is. Both longtime logos earned
a fresh look within the past year
and regained the enthusiasm for a
promising future. The first includes
any product produced, processed,
packaged or headquartered in the
state. The latter promotes Illinoisgrown fruits and vegetables. Food
companies and farmers can use the
logos, and grocery stores and
restaurants that carry these products
may use them in point-of-sale material.
The branding effort helps increase
visibility and product awareness in
the marketplace.
“My goal is that the Illinois food
companies and growers see the value
in the branding and that they
participate with us and use the
branding campaign to help draw
more consumers to their products,”
Tirey says. “The governor values
the importance of this Buy Illinois
Challenge and supporting our local
businesses and local growers.”
A new grant from the U.S.
Department of Agriculture enables the
department to work with 125 grocery

stores and 85 farmers markets in
Illinois. The retailers earn publicity
and marketing materials in exchange
for tracking sales data. The grant will
fund promotional activities, including
television commercials to highlight
Illinois’ summer fruits and vegetables.
Gov. Pat Quinn jump-started the
campaign in June. The commercials
air throughout the state in summer
2013 and feature Illinois-grown
strawberries, blueberries, watermelon,
peaches and sweet corn.
“So many people want to buy local,
but don’t know where to find it,”
Tirey says. “Our mission is to help
make that connection between the
consumer and finding it.”
If the program succeeds, Illinois
products will be hard to miss.
Participating retailers in the first
phase of this program will receive
6-foot banners and stickers. They
also gain access to high-resolution
graphics for use on printed materials
and websites.
When Illinois-grown and -made
products become easy to find, small
shifts in buying habits become easier
to make.
– Joanie Stiers

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agricultural education

A Living
Agricultural
Legacy
Illinois County Fair Queen carries on
her family’s farming tradition
Photography by Frank Ordonez

You might see Illinois
County Fair Queen Amelia
Martens dolled up in an evening
gown and crown at the Illinois
State Fair, but she’s certainly
not afraid to get her hands dirty.
The 21-year-old University of
Illinois graduate grew up on her
family’s farm in Orion, and is no
stranger to the physical labor
agriculture demands.
“We have grain, corn, soybeans
and hogs, and my brothers have a
small beef cattle operation,” says
Martens, daughter of Patrick and
Annette Martens. “I grew up
assisting with livestock chores
and helping Dad with various
projects on the farm. It’s a family
operation, and we all pitch in
where needed.”
Martens and her brothers,
Ben and Wyatt, are the fourth

generation to live and work on the
family farm. Like thousands of
farm families across Illinois, they
hope to keep their operation
going long after their turn at
the helm.
“As long as I’m alive, I will
work to ensure that our farm
stays in our family,” Martens
says. “Our farm is such a large
part of who we are, and it means
the world to me. In addition to
preserving our homestead, I
hope to invest in more farmland
in the future to add to our
family’s legacy.”
Martens’ childhood revolved
around agriculture, from
showing pigs and bucket calves
in 4-H to being involved in FFA
and attending the Agriculture
Future of America Conference.
“I’ve been able to apply the
lessons I learned through my

Amelia Martens, the 2013 Miss Illinois County Fair Queen, grew up on a farm in Orion. She has always
been surrounded by agriculture, from helping with farm chores to getting involved with 4-H and FFA.

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As long as I’m alive, I will work to ensure
that our farm stays in our family. Our farm
is such a large part of who we are, and it
– Amelia Martens
means the world to me.

Today’s agriculture
industry offers
More than 200
Career choices.
17 percent of
the civilian
workforce
has a career
in agriculture.

What’s Online
Learn more about opportunities
for young farmers at
ILagriculture.com.

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responsibilities on the farm to just
about every aspect of my life,” she says.
“I love everything about agriculture –
working with my family on the farm,
the tight-knit industry, the connections
I’ve made across the state and nation,
and the abundance of career
opportunities. In Illinois, one in four
jobs is in agriculture, which is a pretty
impressive number and provides
terrific job security too.”
After winning the Miss Rock Island
County Fair Queen title, Martens
competed against 69 other county
fair queens in January 2013 for the
Miss Illinois County Fair Queen title.
Martens won a $1,000 scholarship
from Prairie Farms Dairy and the
opportunity to address the Illinois
State Senate on Ag Legislative Day.
She also travels the state visiting
numerous county fairs, and will serve
as hostess for the 2013 Illinois and
Du Quoin State Fairs.
“Being Miss Illinois County Fair
Queen has been a dream of mine since
middle school,” Martens says. “I have
always wanted to advocate for

The Martens family, including Amelia and her father
Patrick, raises grain, corn, soybeans, hogs and beef.

agriculture. This summer, I’m hoping
to educate people about farming and
the hard working Americans who
produce our food. It truly is an honor
to represent Illinois agriculture in
this way, and I’m very grateful for
the opportunity.”
This fall after her summer fair
queen duties are over, Martens will
begin working for John Deere’s
Construction & Forestry Division as
a marketing representative. She says
her life would have looked completely
different if not for her experience
growing up on a farm.
“The farm instilled in me values
like hard work and responsibility and
prepared me for the working world in
many ways,” she says. “It was through
organizations like 4-H, FFA and
Agriculture Future of America that
I developed public speaking skills
and gained real-world experience
in agricultural communications
before I ever attended college. I
developed a passion for agriculture
that runs very deep.”
– Jessica Mozo

aking sure young
people like Martens
have a future on farms
is one goal of the Illinois
Department of Agriculture
(IDOA)’s Centennial and
Sesquicentennial Farms
Programs.
“Many families have had to
overcome numerous hardships
to hold onto their land,” says
Delayne Reeves, marketing
representative for IDOA. “This
program is extremely rewarding.”
To qualify for Centennial
Farm status, an agricultural
property must have been
owned by the same family (of
lineal or collateral descendants)
for at least 100 years, or 150
years for Sesquicentennial
Farm status. Illinois has
more than 9,300 Centennial
Farms and more than 600
Sesquicentennial Farms.
“Many families have large
celebrations when their farm
receives the Centennial or
Sesquicentennial designation,
and the excitement is
contagious,” Reeves says. “As I
visit with the families during
the application process or at
the annual day of recognition
at the Illinois State Fair, an
immense amount of pride is
observed. And they should be
proud – they have worked hard
over decades, from generation
to generation, to care for the
land they love.”
– Jessica Mozo

Opperman Farms in Lincoln was recently
recognized as a Sesquicentennial Farm for
more than 150 years of family ownership.

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agricultural education

Gettin’

Down
on the
Farm

Illinois farms educate visitors
in entertaining ways

At Marcoot Jersey Creamery in Greeneville, the farm fresh cheese ages the “cave,” which was modeled after manmade cheese-aging caves in Switzerland.

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Photography by Frank Ordonez

If you visit M arcoot

The Marcoot sisters make a variety of cheeses and
ice creams at Marcoot Jersey Creamery in Greenville.

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Jersey Creamery in Greenville,
chances are that you’ll leave with
a full belly and a new appreciation
for dairy farming.
The Marcoot family milks 65
Jersey cows twice every day and
makes 18 varieties of cheese and a
dozen flavors of ice cream, which
they sell at the creamery.
“We make a rotation of ice cream
flavors – our strawberry cheesecake
ice cream is popular in the spring,
and black raspberry pomegranate
is very refreshing in summer,” says
Beth Marcoot. “And we just introduced
a new variety of beer cheese called
Tipsy Cheddar.”
Tours of the farm and creamery
are $3 per person and give visitors
a behind-the-scenes peek at the
milking parlor, calf barn and cheesemaking process.
“We love educating our guests and
showing them the whole field-to-fork
aspect of agriculture,” Marcoot says.
“A unique experience happens on a
farm. People can see the baby cows,
watch the milking process and then
taste the milk and cheese.”

Besides Marcoot Jersery Creamery,
more than 50 other farms and
agribusinesses across Illinois are
also open to the public, inviting citydwellers to spend a relaxing day in
the country.
While most are farms and
orchards, others are vineyards and
wineries where visitors can sample
wines, attend dinners, pick grapes
and learn about how wine is made.
Bruce Curry runs one of Illinois’
busiest agritourism destinations
today, but he has fond memories of
his humble beginnings.
“I started growing pumpkins at
age 12,” says Curry, now 52. “My
neighbors had a pumpkin patch and
moved away, so my dad told me I
should grow some. I grew about 100
my first year, and I nailed a coffee
can to a post with a note saying, ‘For
sale, please leave money in can.’ ”
Each day after school, Curry would
come home and find money in the can.
“I thought, ‘Whoa, this is pretty
cool,’ ” he remembers. “I’ve been
selling pumpkins ever since.”
Today, Curry’s 80-acre farm,

Country Corner near Alpha, has a
fully-stocked farm market where he
sells more than 50 varieties of vegetable
plants, perennials, hanging baskets
and seasonal produce, including
strawberries, green beans, watermelons
and asparagus. Country Corner also
has pick-your-own pumpkins in the
fall, hay rides, a barnyard zoo,
outdoor education center and an
8-acre corn maze. More than 35,000
people visit Country Corner each
year, including about 5,000 students
on scheduled farm tours.
Curry says that an on-farm
experience can make a major impact
on its visitors.
“Farmers are only one-and-a-half
percent of the population, and the
other 98-and-a-half percent want to
know more about what we do every
day,” he says. “As farmers, we have
knowledge and experiences most
people want. All we have to do is
share it with them.”
In August 2011, President Barack
Obama held a Town Hall Meeting at
Country Corner.
“I was out picking watermelons
when my cell phone rang,” Curry
says. “The guy said, ‘This is Dean
from the White House. Do you have
time to talk?’ ”
The White House representative
then explained that the president
would be coming to Curry’s area on a
bus tour and asked if he could stop at
Country Corner. Curry agreed, and
the next morning, the president’s
crew arrived to scope out the place.
“I gave them a hayrack ride and
fed them my produce,” Curry says.

Students enjoy locally made ice cream on a field trip to Marcoot Jersey Creamery. The farm hosts tours that give
visitors insight into the field-to-fork aspect of agriculture.

Visit Our advertisers

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Land of Lincoln Regional
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www.visitlandoflincoln.com

Agritourism is defined as any
business activity that brings
the public to a farm or rural
setting in an effort to market
farm raised or produced
products or the enjoyment
of related outdoor activities.
Source: University of Illinois Extension

Plan your visit to an Illinois farm. See a list of agritourism destinations across the state within the Illinois
Food and Agribusiness Guide, available online at www.agr.state.il.us/markets/mis/.

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We love educating our guests
and showing them the whole
field-to-fork aspect
of agriculture.
– Beth Marcoot
“The president held the Town Hall
Meeting here five days later. Nobody
I’ve worked with has asked me for
references since. If you spend your
entire life raising vegetables and
educating people about agriculture
and the president of the United States
takes notice, you must be doing
something right.”
– Jessica Mozo

What’s Online
Find links to other agritourism
destinations at ILagriculture.com.

Left: Any of Illinois’ many pumpkin patches are popular agritourism spots in the fall.
Above: Guests can visit an Illinois corn maze to learn about agriculture while still having fun.

Growing Together

Opportunities for community gardens teach
consumers about agriculture

I

llinois residents eager to learn
about farms can get their hands
dirty at the Community Garden
on the Illinois State Fairgrounds.
Developed in 2008, the
Community Garden was created
by the Illinois Department of
Agriculture (IDOA) as a way to
teach consumers about agriculture
and give individuals who lacked
garden space a place to grow fresh
food. It’s located on the interior of
the mile race track because of easy
accessibility, potential for expansion
and access to water sources, among
other reasons.
“We initially offered the
opportunity for gardeners to obtain

up to two 12-by-12 plots for $10
each to use for the season,” says
Mike Rahe, manager of the IDOA
Bureau of Natural Resource
Management. “We supplied a variety
of over 2,000 seed samples as well
as water, compost and hand tools.”
After officially opening in May
2009, the garden had 84 gardeners
and 121 plots. Today, 111 gardeners
work on 175 plots. Produce, flowers
and herbs are the main plants grown
in the garden, and Rahe says the
sense of community is one of the
most exciting aspects to come from
the project.
“Anyone that plants a seed and
nurtures it through harvest, then

consumes what they grow or shares
it with neighbors and friends or the
needy, has a greater understanding
of agriculture,” he says. “When you
eat what you have grown yourself,
you begin to take ownership in
where your food comes from and
ownership in agriculture.”
The “Plant a Row for the Hungry”
program donates produce to local
food banks, while the University of
Illinois Master Gardener program
provides mentoring opportunities.
Often, multiple families can be
seen working on a plot together,
showing the true meaning of a
community garden.
– Rachel Bertone

ilagriculture.com

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45

AD INDEX

24-25 1st Farm Credit Services

1 Brandt Consolidated Inc.

C2 Growmark Inc.

C4 Heartland Bank

10 Illinois Association FFA

2 Illinois Soybean Association

4 Land of Lincoln Regional Tourism Development Office

6 Rovey Seed Co.

43 The Egg Board

C3 University of Illinois College of ACES

agricultural education

46

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illinois agriculture

More than

Fair

Economic impact from state’s
fairgrounds felt throughout the year
Of all the reasons why

Horse racing generates both interest and income for the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield.

people like to attend Illinois’ two
state fairs, perhaps the main one
has to do with simple economics.
Both are great bargains, after all.
“People can come to the Du Quoin
State Fair, pay just $7 for parking and
admission, and can see over $200,000
worth of free entertainment,” says John
Rednour, director of the Du Quoin
State Fair, held each year from Aug.
23 through Labor Day. “There is not
a better bargain in Southern Illinois.”
There is an equally good deal in
the central part of the state, where
the Illinois State Fair is held in
Springfield for 11 days every August.
The price of admission is $7 or less,
with free admission on select days for
veterans and seniors, and discounted
admission for all on Family Day.

ilagriculture.com

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47

photo by Matt DeBackere Photography

“I think the Illinois State Fair
is special for many reasons,” says
Amy Bliefnick, manager of the
fair. “One is we have 160 years
of history. We provide an opportunity
for Illinoisans to get together and
celebrate agriculture, education
and entertainment.”
Both state fairs are managed by
the Illinois Department of Agriculture,
and offer livestock and produce
competitions, midway rides and games,
concerts and other entertainment,
and plenty of food vendors and
exhibitors. A 2011 study showed that
the Springfield fair had an economic
impact of $47 million on the state,
and Rednour estimates the Du Quoin
fair contributed nearly $16 million
to the economy.
For the rest of the year, non-fair
events at both fairgrounds help drive
the local economies. And those days
are booked well in advance.
“Our calendar is very full,” says
Kristi Jones, non-fair coordinator
for the Springfield fairgrounds. “In
fact, it’s difficult for a new event to get

48

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illinois agriculture

on the calendar because our events
return year after year.”
These include horse racing, car
racing, motorcycle racing, medieval
battles, pet shows, quilt shows,
farmers markets and the Illinois
Products Expo. The fairgrounds
can also be rented for weddings,
high school proms and conventions.
“People come from all over,” Jones
says, “and they ultimately either camp
out here or they stay in our hotels
and eat at our restaurants. It has a
great impact on our local economy.”
Rednour says the fairgrounds in
Du Quoin is used about 335 days
each year for non-fair events, which
include horse shows, camping
rallies, rodeos, car shows, softball
tournaments and more.
“The main thing is to be an economic
engine for southern Illinois,” he says.
– John McBryde

Photo courtesy of Matt DeBackere Photography

We provide an opportunity for Illinoisans
to get together and celebrate agriculture,
– Amy Bliefnick
education and entertainment.

Non-fair events held at the Illinois State Fairgrounds
include weddings, proms and conventions.

The Du Quoin
State Fairgrounds
is used about 335
days each year for
non-fair events.